Mediterranean Quinoa Chickpea Salad

This salad is sooo good! I mean I could eat it everyday and I don't think I would ever get sick of it! My family has made it three times in within the last couple of weeks and I still love just as much! I get excited for lunch everyday, just because it means that I get to eat this salad! The recipe is from The Alberta Pulse, you can find it HERE.

Cook 1/2 cup of quinoa following the instructions on the package of quinoa that you are using. [This is 1/2 cup of uncooked quinoa btw :)]

Once the quinoa is cooked, allow it to cool completely before mixing in 1 cup of cooked chickpeas. I combined the quinoa and chickpeas in a pretty small mixing bowl and set it aside once these two ingredients were combined.

Chop up half of a red pepper, half of a yellow pepper, 1 cup of cherry tomatoes, 2-3 green onions, and half of a cucumber. When the vegetables are chopped up, place them in a large mixing bowl.

Mix the quinoa and chickpea mixture into the veggies.

Add in 1/3 cup of feta cheese, cut into small pieces. Then start on the salad's dressing...

I used a glass measuring dish to combine - 1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil, 1/3 cup of balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of dijon mustard, 1 clove of minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of dried basil and 1/4 teaspoon of crushed pepper flakes.

Whisk the salad dressing together and pour it over the salad - I don't ever use all of the salad dressing. I probably use about 3/4 of it and I just save the rest to use later (because I make this salad over & over again!).

Once the salad dressing is tossed it is ready to serve! 

MEDITERRANEAN QUINOA SALAD
serves 6-8 people

ingredients
1/2 cup quinoa (this amount is for the uncooked quinoa)
1 cup cooked chickpeas
I sure do hope you enjoy this salad as much as I do!
1/2 of a red pepper, chopped
1/2 of a yellow pepper, chopped
1 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved
2-3 green onions, chopped
1/2 of a cucumber, chopped
1/3 feta cheese, chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

directions
1. Cook quinoa based on the instructions on the package. Once cooked, transfer the quinoa to a small mixing bowl to cool completely. When the quinoa is completely cooled, mix in the chickpeas.
2. Chop up all of the veggies (peppers, cherry tomatoes, green onions & cucumbers). Toss the veggies together in a large mixing bowl. Toss in the quinoa and chickpea combo.
3. Cut the feta into small chunks and toss it into the salad.
4. Whisk the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, white wine vinegar, fresh lemon, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried basil and crushed red pepper in glass measuring dish or small mixing bowl.
5. When the salad dressing is combined, pour it over the salad and toss it into the salad then, it is ready to serve!

I hope you love this salad as much as I do!